Quant Recruitment
Today’s quantitative investment landscape demands leaders who can drive consistent alpha generation through systematic strategies while building scalable, profitable investment businesses. Quantitative approaches are transforming hedge funds, asset management firms, and proprietary trading operations as mathematical modeling capabilities unlock new sources of alpha, systematic processes enable disciplined decision-making, and alternative data integration creates competitive advantages in strategy development.
Investment firm executives face a critical mandate: build quantitative investment capabilities that generate superior risk-adjusted returns while scaling assets under management and maintaining operational discipline. As discretionary investment approaches face competition from systematic strategies and algorithmic execution, new profit opportunities emerge daily for firms with the quantitative leadership to capture them systematically. Yet with sophistication comes complexity—strategy capacity constraints limiting scalability, alpha decay threatening performance persistence, model risk requiring robust validation frameworks, and the imperative to maintain institutional investor confidence while pushing quantitative boundaries to generate consistent outperformance across market cycles.
Quantitative Finance Leadership Search
Today's quantitative investment landscape demands leaders who can drive superior returns through systematic approaches while building scalable, profitable investment businesses. Willard Powell delivers exceptional quantitative finance leadership across systematic hedge funds, quantitative asset managers, proprietary trading firms, and multi-manager platforms. Our deep understanding of quantitative investment strategies and extensive networks enable us to identify leaders who combine mathematical rigor with business acumen to generate consistent alpha and build enduring investment platforms.
Quantitative Trading Leadership
Quantitative trading leadership drives profitability through systematic market strategies, risk-managed execution, and scalable trading operations. Success demands leaders who understand P&L attribution, capacity constraints, and the operational infrastructure required to generate consistent trading profits across diverse market conditions.
Today's quantitative trading organizations require leadership that balances alpha generation with operational excellence:
- Alpha Generation & Strategy Performance - Systematic strategy development, signal research, multi-strategy portfolio construction
- Trading P&L & Risk Management - Position sizing, drawdown control, risk-adjusted return optimization
- Market Making & Liquidity Provision - Spread capture, inventory management, adverse selection mitigation
- Execution Excellence & Transaction Costs - Smart order routing, market impact minimization, best execution compliance
- Capacity Management & Scalability - Strategy capacity analysis, capital allocation, operational scaling
We deliver exceptional quantitative trading leadership across:
Trading Strategy & P&L Leadership
- Head of Quantitative Trading - Trading P&L responsibility, strategy development, team leadership and performance management
- Portfolio Managers - Systematic Strategies - Multi-strategy portfolio construction, alpha research, risk budgeting
- Trading Desk Heads - Daily P&L management, trader development, desk profitability optimization
- Market Making Heads - Liquidity provision strategies, spread optimization, inventory risk management
- Algorithmic Trading Leaders - Execution algorithm development, market impact analysis, trading cost optimization
Risk Management & Operations Leadership
- Chief Risk Officers - Trading - Trading risk frameworks, position limits, stress testing oversight
- Trading Operations Heads - Trade lifecycle management, settlement operations, regulatory compliance
- Performance & Analytics Leaders - P&L attribution, performance measurement, alpha decay analysis
- Technology Leaders - Trading Systems - Low-latency execution systems, market data infrastructure, trading platform architecture
Quantitative trading leadership requires deep understanding of market dynamics, systematic approach to strategy development, and the operational discipline to execute strategies profitably at scale. Our clients seek leaders who can build trading businesses that generate consistent returns while managing downside risk and operational complexity.
Our difference? We understand that quantitative trading success requires more than mathematical models—it demands leaders who can build profitable trading businesses through systematic strategy development, disciplined risk management, and operational excellence. Our networks span systematic trading firms, multi-manager platforms, and proprietary trading operations, providing access to leaders who combine quantitative expertise with proven business building capabilities.
Connect with our founder to discuss your quantitative trading leadership needs:
David McInnis – david.mcinnis@willardpowell.comQuantitative Research Leadership
Quantitative research leadership transforms market insights into investable strategies through systematic research, rigorous validation, and effective implementation. Success demands leaders who understand research ROI, alpha discovery, and the organizational capabilities required to convert academic insights into profitable investment strategies.
Today's quantitative research organizations require leadership that bridges academic rigor with investment performance:
- Alpha Discovery & Strategy Development - Factor research, signal generation, investment hypothesis validation
- Research ROI & Resource Allocation - Research productivity, project prioritization, talent development
- Alternative Data & Innovation - New data source evaluation, research differentiation, competitive advantage
- Research-to-Production Pipeline - Strategy implementation, live trading transition, performance monitoring
- Academic Partnerships & Talent - University relationships, PhD recruitment, research collaboration
We deliver exceptional quantitative research leadership across:
Research Strategy & Alpha Generation
- Chief Investment Officers - Quantitative - Research strategy, alpha generation oversight, investment committee leadership
- Head of Quantitative Research - Research team leadership, strategy development, cross-functional collaboration
- Senior Portfolio Managers - Research - Strategy development, research-driven portfolio construction, alpha identification
- Research Directors - Factor Investing - Factor research, smart beta strategies, risk premia harvesting
- Alternative Data Heads - Non-traditional data evaluation, signal extraction, competitive differentiation
Research Operations & Team Development
- Research Management Leaders - Team leadership, talent development, research productivity optimization
- Academic Relations Directors - University partnerships, research collaboration, talent pipeline development
- Data Science Heads - Machine learning research, predictive modeling, statistical analysis oversight
- Research Technology Leaders - Research infrastructure, computational platforms, data management systems
Quantitative research leadership requires balancing academic rigor with commercial outcomes, managing talented researchers while delivering measurable alpha, and building research capabilities that create sustainable competitive advantages. The most effective research leaders understand both the theoretical foundations of quantitative finance and the practical challenges of implementing research insights at scale.
Our difference? We understand that quantitative research success requires more than academic credentials—it demands leaders who can build research organizations that consistently translate mathematical insights into profitable investment strategies. Our networks across systematic hedge funds, asset management firms, and research-driven investment platforms provide access to leaders who combine deep quantitative expertise with proven ability to build and manage research teams that drive alpha generation.
Connect with our founder to discuss your quantitative research leadership needs:
David McInnis – david.mcinnis@willardpowell.comQuantitative Portfolio Management Leadership
Quantitative portfolio management leadership drives superior risk-adjusted returns through systematic investment processes, disciplined risk management, and scalable portfolio construction. Success demands leaders who understand client objectives, capacity constraints, and the operational requirements to manage multi-billion-dollar quantitative strategies.
Today's quantitative asset management organizations require leadership that balances performance with business growth:
- AUM Growth & Client Relationships - Institutional client management, consultant relations, product positioning
- Investment Performance & Attribution - Risk-adjusted returns, benchmark outperformance, drawdown management
- Portfolio Construction & Optimization - Factor exposure management, diversification, capacity-aware investing
- Risk Management & Compliance - Investment guidelines, regulatory compliance, fiduciary responsibility
- Product Development & Innovation - Strategy enhancement, ESG integration, alternative risk premia
We deliver exceptional quantitative portfolio management leadership across:
Investment Leadership & Performance
- Chief Investment Officers - Investment strategy, performance oversight, client communication, regulatory relationships
- Portfolio Managers - Quantitative Strategies - Daily portfolio management, risk budgeting, performance attribution
- Investment Committee Members - Strategy oversight, risk management, investment decision governance
- Factor Strategy Heads - Multi-factor portfolio construction, risk premia harvesting, smart beta implementation
- ESG Investment Leaders - Sustainable investing strategies, ESG integration, impact measurement
Business Development & Client Management
- Head of Institutional Sales - Client acquisition, consultant relationships, AUM growth strategies
- Product Management Directors - Strategy productization, client solutions, competitive positioning
- Client Portfolio Managers - Institutional relationship management, performance communication, retention
- Investment Operations Heads - Portfolio administration, compliance monitoring, operational risk management
Quantitative portfolio management leadership requires understanding both investment excellence and business development, managing fiduciary responsibility while growing assets under management, and building investment capabilities that serve diverse client needs across market cycles.
Our difference? We understand that quantitative portfolio management success requires more than investment performance—it demands leaders who can build scalable investment businesses through systematic portfolio construction, effective client relationship management, and operational excellence. Our networks across quantitative asset managers, systematic hedge funds, and factor-based investment platforms provide access to leaders who combine deep investment expertise with proven business building capabilities in institutional asset management.
Connect with our founder to discuss your quantitative portfolio management leadership needs:
David McInnis – david.mcinnis@willardpowell.comQuantitative Development Leadership
Quantitative development leadership enables investment success through robust technology platforms, efficient operations, and scalable infrastructure that supports systematic investment strategies. Success demands leaders who understand business requirements, operational efficiency, and the technological capabilities needed to execute quantitative strategies profitably at scale.
Today's quantitative investment organizations require development leadership that enables business growth:
- Business Enablement & Operational Efficiency - Research productivity, trading efficiency, operational automation
- Platform Scalability & Growth Support - AUM scaling, strategy capacity, infrastructure modernization
- Risk Management & Compliance Support - Regulatory reporting, audit trails, operational risk reduction
- Competitive Advantage & Innovation - Technology differentiation, data capabilities, execution optimization
- Cost Management & ROI - Technology spend optimization, vendor management, development productivity
We deliver exceptional quantitative development leadership across:
Technology Strategy & Business Leadership
- Chief Technology Officers - Technology strategy, platform architecture, business technology alignment
- Chief Operating Officers - Operational efficiency, process optimization, technology-enabled growth
- Head of Engineering - Engineering strategy, team leadership, development productivity
- Technology Directors - Platform development, system architecture, technology roadmap execution
- Head of Data & Analytics - Data strategy, analytics platforms, business intelligence infrastructure
Investment Platform & Operations
- Investment Systems Leaders - Portfolio management systems, risk platforms, performance measurement
- Trading Technology Heads - Execution systems, market connectivity, trading operations automation
- Research Platform Directors - Research infrastructure, data management, computational platforms
- Operations Technology Leaders - Trade processing, settlement systems, regulatory reporting automation
Quantitative development leadership requires understanding both business objectives and technological capabilities, balancing innovation with operational stability, and building platforms that enable investment teams to focus on alpha generation while ensuring regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.
Our difference? We understand that quantitative development success requires more than technical expertise—it demands leaders who can translate business requirements into technology solutions that drive competitive advantage. Our networks across systematic investment firms, quantitative asset managers, and financial technology organizations provide access to leaders who combine deep technical knowledge with proven ability to build and scale investment technology platforms that enable business growth.
Connect with our founder to discuss your quantitative development leadership needs:
David McInnis – david.mcinnis@willardpowell.comSystematic Investment Strategy Leadership
Systematic investment strategy leadership drives consistent returns through disciplined investment processes, diversified alpha sources, and scalable systematic approaches. Success demands leaders who understand strategy performance, capacity management, and the organizational capabilities required to build and maintain systematic investment platforms across market cycles.
Today's systematic investment organizations require leadership that balances performance consistency with business scalability:
- Strategy Performance & Diversification - Multi-strategy platforms, uncorrelated alpha sources, risk-adjusted returns
- Capacity Management & Scalability - Strategy capacity analysis, capital allocation optimization, operational scaling
- Systematic Process Excellence - Investment discipline, decision frameworks, performance consistency
- Innovation & Competitive Positioning - Strategy development, market opportunity identification, competitive differentiation
- Institutional Business Development - Client education, strategy positioning, AUM growth
We deliver exceptional systematic strategy leadership across:
Strategy Development & Performance Leadership
- Chief Investment Officers - Systematic - Multi-strategy oversight, performance attribution, investment committee leadership
- Strategy Heads - Individual strategy management, performance optimization, capacity management
- Portfolio Construction Leaders - Multi-asset allocation, risk budgeting, correlation management
- Alternative Risk Premia Heads - Factor harvesting, systematic beta strategies, diversification optimization
- Cross-Asset Strategy Directors - Global macro systematic, currency strategies, commodity systems
Business Development & Platform Leadership
- Managing Directors - Systematic Investing - Business leadership, client relationships, strategic growth
- Head of Product - Systematic Strategies - Strategy productization, client solutions, competitive positioning
- Institutional Relations Directors - Consultant relationships, client education, thought leadership
- Performance & Analytics Directors - Strategy monitoring, performance communication, risk reporting
Systematic investment strategy leadership requires balancing investment discipline with business growth, managing multiple uncorrelated alpha sources while maintaining operational efficiency, and building systematic investment capabilities that deliver consistent performance across diverse market environments.
Our difference? We understand that systematic strategy success requires more than individual algorithms—it demands leaders who can build comprehensive investment platforms that combine multiple alpha sources, manage capacity constraints, and scale systematic approaches while maintaining performance consistency. Our networks across systematic hedge funds, quantitative asset managers, and multi-manager platforms provide access to leaders who combine deep systematic investing expertise with proven ability to build and scale systematic investment businesses.
Connect with our founder to discuss your systematic strategy leadership needs:
David McInnis – david.mcinnis@willardpowell.comConnect with Willard Powell Leadership
Whether you're an executive seeking new opportunities or looking to build your leadership team, we're here to help.
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Build exceptional leadership teams that drive organizational transformation and competitive advantage. We partner with companies to identify and secure transformational executive talent for critical roles.
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Ready to Connect?
Reach out to our leadership team to discuss your executive leadership needs or career aspirations:
David McInnis
Founder & Managing Partner
david.mcinnis@willardpowell.com
Stewart Sloan
Partner
stewart.sloan@willardpowell.com